Bordeaux is undoubtedly one of France’s most beautiful cities, not least for its 18th-century façades, which make the quayside one of France’s finest architectural ensembles. What’s more, it can be visited quickly and easily, in just one or two days.

Confirming the proverb that the cobblers are always the worst shod, I may have lived in Bordeaux for 7 years, but I’d never really bothered to make a photo album of it. You always pay less attention to the city you live in than to the ones you visit, because you always tell yourself you’ll have time…

The ten days or so we spent there were an opportunity to remedy this shortcoming, especially as the weather was so fine.

You’ll find all the articles about this Bordeaux getaway at the bottom of the page.

• Place des Quinconces
• Place de la Bourse
• The quays
• The Pont de Pierre
• St. Michel district and basilica
• La Victoire
• Ste Catherine Street
• La Grosse Cloche (Big Bell)
• The Grand Théatre
• St André Cathedral
• CAPC – Museum of Contemporary Art
• The jardin public (public garden)
• Palais Gallien (Gallien Palace)
• The Fine Arts Museum
• The Musée d’Aquitaine
• Bonus
• Bottom line
• Articles on this Bordeaux getaway

Here we go for day one…

Place des Quinconces

Let’s start in the heart of the city: Place des Quinconces.

At 12 hectares, it’s the largest square in France and one of the largest in Europe. It originally included a castle that was destroyed during the French Revolution, and its layout has been fixed since 1816.

It’s a vast central esplanade that hosts a multitude of fairs and events, so at certain times of the year you’ll rarely see it empty. This esplanade is surrounded by trees on both sides.

At one end are two 21-metre-high rostral columns.

At either end is the Monument aux Girondins, built in memory of the Girondin deputies who fell victim to the Terror, the dark period of the French Revolution, and celebrating the Republic.

Place de la Bourse

Just a stone’s throw from the Place des Quinconces is the superb Place de la Bourse. Originally Place Royale, it was the first open square in Europe. It now houses the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Since the city’s extensive beautification work in the 2000s, a water mirror has been added to its original beauty.

The quays

Black, ugly and cluttered with warehouses until the 2000s, Bordeaux’s quays have since become a destination for leisure and strolling, with views of superb facades.

At the Place de la Bourse, you’ll find them full of flowers and greenery.

Further afield, you’ll find shops and restaurants in rehabilitated warehouses. Everywhere, you can run, cycle, walk…

It’s a walk of several kilometers ahead…but for now we’ll stay in the area and continue towards the Pont de Pierre.

The Pont de Pierre

It was built in the early 19th century on the orders of Napoleon 1st. Until 1965, it was the only way to link the two banks of the Garonne in Bordeaux.

It has 17 arches, and legend has it that this corresponds to the number of letters in the name Napoleon Bonaparte, a character whose megalomania might lead one to believe that this can be true.

Weakened by time and traffic, it is now reserved for pedestrians and the tramway. At one time, its pillars were sinking by up to 1m50 a year!

Moreover, when the A380 was in production, parts of its fuselage were transported across the city on barges, passing under the Pont de Pierre before being loaded onto trucks and transported to Toulouse. This painstaking work could only be carried out when the tide was low enough, and with minimal room to maneuver to prevent the barges from hitting the bridge.

St. Michel district and basilica

From there, head for St Michel to see the basilica and the district of the same name!

If there’s one historically vibrant, popular and multicultural district in Bordeaux, it’s St Michel. It’s built around the Gothic basilica of St. Michel.

You’ll notice that the bell tower is separate from the main building, a feature you’ll find again on another of the town’s emblematic buildings. Bordeaux is built on marshy ground, and the movement of the bells had to be prevented from being transmitted to the main building and jeopardizing its structure.

And just a stone’s throw away is the Capucins market, established in 1525 and popularized after the French Revolution. It became a covered market after the 1978 Paris World Fair, the city having bought back some metal structures used for the event.

Tourists will love to stock up on local produce and dishes.

You can also stroll through the neighborhood and appreciate the local architecture.

La Victoire

Let’s move on to the Place de la Victoire, which is of little interest apart from being on our way…and for those nostalgic for the days when it was the (too) lively epicenter of student nightlife.

Renovation and pedestrianization have done it no harm.

If you want to take a break on one of its large terraces, now’s the time.

Ste Catherine Street

From here, the 1.250 km Rue Ste Catherine is billed as Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street.

If you follow it from end to end, you’ll see the clientele and stores gradually evolve between its two extremities, a sign of the social differences between the neighborhoods.

But after a short distance from la Victoire, let’s turn off onto a side street and take a look at the Grosse Cloche.

La Grosse Cloche (Big Bell)

This building served as the gateway to the medieval ramparts and as the belfry of the former town hall.

Further afield is the old town of Bordeaux, with its pedestrian streets, squares and restaurants. A much more pleasant route than the parallel St Catherine Street.

Enjoy the ride, and you’ll come to the end of the road near the Grand Théatre.

The Grand Théatre

Close to the Place des Quinconces, you’ll have completed a full loop by the time you get there.

Inaugurated in 1780, it is the headquarters of the Bordeaux National Opera. Its architecture is said to be Masonic-inspired, and it was financed by Bordeaux’s Freemason merchants.

One last one for the road? Head up to St André Cathedral.

St André Cathedral

It was built between the 12th and 16th centuries, first in Romanesque style, then in Gothic.

As with St Michel, you’ll notice the bell tower detached from the main building.

An opportunity to take a break on one of the surrounding terraces?

Next door you’ll find the Town Hall, but that’s enough for a first day.

Have you recovered from your first day? Well, here goes the second one!

CAPC – Museum of Contemporary Art

Housed in a former warehouse, it offers a varied program featuring emerging artists.

As for contemporary art, it’s up to you whether you like it or not…

But go there at least for its interior architecture…

The jardin public (public garden)

We return to the center by heading for the public garden, the green lung of the city center.

Very pleasant to get some fresh air and breathe a little.

Leave the park (by the right exit) and head for the Palais Gallien.

Palais Gallien (Gallien Palace)

This is a 2nd-century amphitheatre, the last vestige of the Gallo-Roman town of Burdigala. It held just over 22,000 spectators. A victim of a fire in late antiquity, it has since been used for a variety of purposes, from quarry to gangster hideout, but was never returned to its original purpose.

We’re now heading for the town hall, or rather the Museum of Fine Arts.

The Fine Arts Museum

It occupies both wings of the Town Hall building and is accessible from the rear.

Its collection is very interesting, although in our opinion not as rich as in Lyon (but in a different way) and much less so than in Rouen. One wing is dedicated to the 15th to 18th centuries, the other to the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Musée d’Aquitaine

Just a ten-minute walk from the Musée des Beaux Arts is the Musée d’Aquitaine.

It is dedicated to the history of the town from prehistory to the present day. Although I wasn’t captivated by the prehistoric part, the part on the Roman era and especially the period from the 18th century to the present day is really very interesting.

And that’s it.

It’s time for you to stroll along the quays and in the old town of Bordeaux.

Bonus

I would have gladly visited the Cité du Vin, a tourist and cultural center dedicated to wine. But I didn’t have the few hours recommended for the visit and tasting.

Of course, you can also visit the many vineyards in the region, or enjoy the beaches around the Bassin d’Arcachon…

Bottom line

Bordeaux is a city that’s easy to visit in one or two days, while offering a rich heritage. A must-see at least once…and it’ll make you want to go back.

Articles on this Bordeaux getaway

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